Toshi’s Teriyaki Turns 50

Ask any longtime Seattleite about comfort food, and there’s a good chance teriyaki comes up. That smoky, chargrilled chicken over rice, the sweet and savory sauce soaking into every bite, the warm takeout box on a drizzly afternoon. It’s as Seattle as a rain jacket. And this year, the man who started it all is celebrating a major milestone: 50 years since Toshi Kasahara opened the city’s very first teriyaki shop.

Where It All Began

Toshi grew up in a rural farming town in Japan, where he was a wrestler before immigrating to Seattle with a dream of running his own business. He wanted to serve food that was simple, comforting, and good enough to eat every day.

In 1976, he opened the first Toshi’s Teriyaki in Lower Queen Anne, just steps from the Space Needle. The menu had only five items, and a chicken teriyaki plate cost $2.00, tax included. Everything was grilled over an open flame, and the flavor was unlike anything Seattle had tried before.

Business started slowly. Then Seattle Times food writer John Hinterberger wrote a glowing review, and almost overnight, sales tripled. Seattle was officially hooked.

A Flavor Seattle Made Its Own

Toshi’s approach was what set it apart: fresh meat marinated in a soy and ginger blend, grilled hot enough to build flavor while staying tender, then finished with a glossy sauce made from soy, sugar, wine, garlic, ginger, and a few secret ingredients. Customers loved that it was delicious, filling, and easy on the wallet.

Before long, teriyaki shops were popping up across Western Washington, from strip malls to office parks to neighborhood corners. Today, you can barely drive a few miles around the region without passing one, and they all trace their roots back to that little shop in Lower Queen Anne. The Travel Channel has even recognized Seattle teriyaki as a true regional specialty.

As demand for his sauce grew, Toshi began bottling it, so fans everywhere can now order it online and recreate the magic at home.

Still Behind the Grill

Several Toshi’s locations exist around the region, but only one is still owned and run by Toshi himself: Toshi’s Teriyaki Grill in Mill Creek, which opened in 2013. It’s a no-frills, takeout-only spot that feels true to the spirit of his original shop.

Stop by and you’ll likely find Toshi at the grill, tasting the food himself and making sure each plate is just right. What keeps him going after all these years? Simply hearing customers say the food was tasty. In a city that has changed so much over five decades, that kind of consistency feels like a little piece of old Seattle you can still visit.

Carrying the Tradition Forward

The next chapter is already underway. One of Toshi’s sons runs a Toshi’s Teriyaki Grill food truck in San Francisco, while the other is preparing to open a location in Ashikaga, Japan, by the end of this year. That means the Seattle-style teriyaki Toshi created is heading back to the country where his story began, which is a pretty beautiful full circle.

Here’s to 50 Years

Toshi’s Teriyaki is more than a restaurant milestone. It represents generations of after-school snacks, quick lunch breaks, and cozy rainy-night dinners. One man’s simple idea helped shape how an entire city eats, and Seattle is better for it. So next time you grab a teriyaki plate, take a moment to thank Toshi for starting it all.

This post was based on information found on Seattle Refined.